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3 Oklahoma Democrats On Clinton, Sanders And Defeating Trump

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. wave to supporters during a rally in Portsmouth, N.H., Tuesday, July 12, 2016, where Sanders endorsed Clinton for president.
Andrew Harnik
/
AP
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. wave to supporters during a rally in Portsmouth, N.H., Tuesday, July 12, 2016, where Sanders endorsed Clinton for president.

Democrats officially nominated Hillary Clinton as their presidential candidate Tuesday night in Philadelphia, but Clinton’s primary victory has been a tough pill to swallow for some supporters of her rival, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Last week, we followed up with previously-undecided Republican votersfrom KGOU’s Super Tuesday Speed Dating program we broadcast on the eve of Oklahoma’s presidential primary. Now, it’s the Democrats’ turn.

 

Jeanette Schreiber

When we first met Jeanette Schreiber, she was torn between Clinton and Sanders. Schreiber, who works in advertising in Oklahoma City, liked many of Sanders’ policies, but she thought Clinton was more pragmatic. When she stepped into the booth on Super Tuesday, she voted for Clinton.

“People looked at Bernie and he is a great candidate, but Hillary is going to make a great president,” Schreiber said. “She’s about doing the hard work and it’s less about the flash and less about the charisma and it’s more about the stick-to-it-iveness and the hard work and the authenticity and the genuineness that’s going to get the job done everyday.”

Schreiber isn't concerned about the various scandals that have followed Clinton, and said Clinton is one of the strongest candidates ever to run for the presidency.

“Back in the George W. Bush days, back when everyone was like, ‘Common man. Well I can get a beer with him. He’s great!’ I was still of the mindset of, ‘This is the best, highest office, job in the land and shouldn’t we be electing the person who has the best credentials.’ Based on resume and job performance, Hillary is a shoe-in,” Schreiber said.

Ashley Combs

Ashley Combs was also on the fence in February. In the end, Combs cast her vote for Sanders because he brought up issues close to her, like college debt.

“Bernie felt right because he had my best interests in hand. The fact that he talked about minorities and talked about women, that was the most important thing for me, and I didn’t hear that so much on the Hillary Clinton side, so I had to vote for Bernie,” Combs said.

Combs describes her enthusiasm for Hillary Clinton as “lukewarm.” On a zero-to-ten scale, Combs would rate her enthusiasm for the former Secretary of States at a five, tops. Regardless, Combs says she will vote for Clinton.

“My vote is a vote against Trump,” Combs said. “I hate to say it, no offense to Hillary, but my vote is a vote against Trump.”

Lauren Jenks

Oklahoma City educator Lauren Jenks was torn between Clinton and Sanders in the primary. She made a last minute decision to support Sanders.

“What I was seeing from him that I was missing from Hillary was that when he would say things, he would also walk the walk,” Jenks said. “He wasn’t just talking the talk.”

Jenks gives Clinton a more enthusiastic endorsement than fellow Sanders supporter, Ashley Combs, but Jenks admits that one of the biggest reasons she will cast her ballot for the Democrat is to deny Trump the presidency.

“I really want to answer that I’m wholeheartedly voting for Hillary Clinton, and I think I am, but a lot of it has to do with being able to give a vote against Donald Trump,” Jenks said.

Jenks says Clinton is the best candidate to lead the country right now, but she hopes Clinton will incorporate Sanders’ education platform.

“I hope that it [education] continues to be an important issue in the election, period. I know that I was firmly and wholeheartedly behind him in that and you have seen Hillary take on some of that in her campaign, which I’m very, very excited about,” Jenks said.

KGOU produces journalism in the public interest, essential to an informed electorate. Help support informative, in-depth journalism with a donation online, or contact our Membership department.

Jacob McCleland spent nine years as a reporter and host at public radio station KRCU in Cape Girardeau, Mo. His stories have appeared on NPR’s Morning Edition and All Things Considered, Here & Now, Harvest Public Media and PRI’s The World. Jacob has reported on floods, disappearing languages, crop duster pilots, anvil shooters, Manuel Noriega, mule jumps and more.
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